God Is Our Refuge and Strength, An Ever Present Help
When I am under spiritual attack or when I need comfort and strength I will often sit in my chair in the corner of the living room early in the morning when everyone around me is asleep, and read Psalms. For some reason, I am drawn often to Psalms 40 –49. I read them aloud and in their words I find supernatural strength, peace, joy, and often healing — not just spiritual and emotional, but sometimes physical as well. They remind me that even though what I am passing through is painful or difficult, God is present with me. I am not alone. These words also have the power to lift me out of my circumstances and give me an eternal perspective — a perspective of God’s greatness, His goodness, and His all-surpassing love for His children, especially when we are suffering, grieving, battling disease, or fighting against the attacks of the enemy. Several people close to me are in these places right now. I had the idea to extract some of the verses from Psalm 40 — 49 that have been a comfort to me over the years and put them all in one place as a prayer for you. My hope is that as they (and you) read them, perhaps out loud, God uses them to bring not only peace and strength, but healing.
“I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Be pleased, O Lord, to save me; O Lord, come quickly to help me. You are my help and deliverer; O my God, do not delay. I said, “O Lord have mercy on me; heal me, for I have sinned against you”.
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the Living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night. Why are you downcast, O my soul? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God. Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. By day the Lord directs His love, at night His song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your Holy Mountain, to the place where you dwell. Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.
I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise Your name forever. Rise up and help us; redeem us because of Your unfailing love. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the Holy Place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fail; God will help her at break of day. Be still and know that I am God. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. How awesome is the Lord Most High, the great King over all the earth! Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth, sing to Him a psalm of praise. For this God is for ever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end.
But man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish. This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. But God will redeem my life from the grave; He will surely take me to Himself” (excerpts from Psalms 40 –49 NIV).
And from Psalm 62:
“My soul finds rest in God alone, my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken. One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong, and that You, O Lord, are loving. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands (excerpts from Psalm 62, NIV).
Praise itself is powerful. When we praise God we create an environment or atmosphere that the enemy cannot inhabit. Praise Him from your heart often and watch the devil flee.
We live in a fallen world. God is not generally the author of disease and pain. But Jesus has promised to be with us in our deepest sadness and grief — comforting, strengthening, empowering, and even healing. He releases into our hearts and minds His goodness and light to push back the darkness of our circumstances. Somehow He can turn our mourning into a victory. We must battle, but we do not battle alone. “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28: 20 NIV).
To my family and friends who are suffering, grieving, and feeling overwhelmed — Jesus is overshadowing you right now. I cannot really understand what you are going through, but know that there are today not only hundreds of people praying for you, but the host of heaven is attending to your needs. Expect a breakthrough.
Be blessed,
John